"Please, sir, is this Plumfield?" asked a ragged boy of the man whoopened the great gate at which the omnibus left him.

"Yes. Who sent you?"

"Mr. Laurence. I have got a letter for the lady."

"All right; go up to the house, and give it to her; she'll see to you,little chap."

The man spoke pleasantly, and the boy went on, feeling muchcheered by the words. Through the soft spring rain that fell onsprouting grass and budding trees, Nat saw a large square housebefore him a hospitable-looking house, with an old-fashionedporch, wide steps, and lights shining in many windows. Neithercurtains nor shutters hid the cheerful glimmer; and, pausing amoment before he rang, Nat saw many little shadows dancing onthe walls, heard the pleasant hum of young voices, and felt that itwas hardly possible that the light and warmth and comfort withincould be for a homeless "little chap" like him.

"I hope the lady will see to me," he thought, and gave a timid rapwith the great bronze knocker, which was a jovial griffin's head.

A rosy-faced servant-maid opened the door, and smiled as she tookthe letter which he silently offered. She seemed used to receivingstrange boys, for she pointed to a seat in the hall, and said, with anod:

"Sit there and drip on the mat a bit, while I take this in to missis."

Nat found plenty to amuse him while he waited, and stared abouthim curiously, enjoying the view, yet glad to do so unobserved inthe dusky recess by the door.

The house seemed swarming with boys, who were beguiling therainy twilight with all sorts of amusements. There were boyseverywhere, "up-stairs and down-stairs and in the lady's chamber,"apparently, for various open doors showed pleasant groups of bigboys, little boys, and middle-sized boys in all stages of eveningrelaxation, not to say effervescence. Two large rooms on the rightwere evidently schoolrooms, for desks, maps, blackboards, andbooks were scattered about. An open fire burned on the hearth, andseveral indolent lads lay on their backs before it, discussing a newcricket-ground, with such animation that their boots waved in theair. A tall youth was practising on the flute in one corner, quiteundisturbed by the racket all about him. Two or three others werejumping over the desks, pausing, now and then, to get their breathand laugh at the droll sketches of a little wag who was caricaturingthe whole household on a blackboard.

In the room on the left a long supper-table was seen, set forth withgreat pitchers of new milk, piles of brown and white bread, andperfect stacks of the shiny gingerbread so dear to boyish souls. Aflavor of toast was in the air, also suggestions of baked apples,very tantalizing to one hungry little nose and stomach.

The hall, however, presented the most inviting prospect of all, fora brisk game of tag was going on in the upper entry. One landingwas devoted to marbles, the other to checkers, while the stairswere occupied by a boy reading, a girl singing a lullaby to her doll,two puppies, a kitten, and a constant succession of small boyssliding down the banisters, to the great detriment of their clothesand danger to their limbs.

So absorbed did Nat become in this exciting race, that he venturedfarther and farther out of his corner; and when one very lively boycame down so swiftly that he could not stop himself, but fell offthe banisters, with a crash that would have broken any head butone rendered nearly as hard as a cannon-ball by eleven years ofconstant bumping, Nat forgot himself, and ran up to the fallenrider, expecting to find him half-dead. The boy, however, onlywinked rapidly for a second, then lay calmly looking up at the newface with a surprised, "Hullo!"

"Hullo!" returned Nat, not knowing what else to say, and thinkingthat form of reply both brief and easy.

"Are you a new boy?" asked the recumbent youth, without stirring.

"Don't know yet."

"What's your name?"

"Nat Blake."

"Mine's Tommy Bangs. Come up and have a go, will you?" andTommy got upon his legs like one suddenly remembering theduties of hospitality.

"Guess I won't, till I see whether I'm going to stay or not," returnedNat, feeling the desire to stay increase every moment.

"I say, Demi, here's a new one. Come and see to him;" and thelively Thomas returned to his sport with unabated relish.

At his call, the boy reading on the stairs looked up with a pair ofbig brown eyes, and after an instant's pause, as if a little shy, he putthe book under his arm, and came soberly down to greet thenew-comer, who found something very attractive in the pleasantface of this slender, mild-eyed boy.

"Have you seen Aunt Jo?" he asked, as if that was some sort ofimportant ceremony.

"I haven't seen anybody yet but you boys; I'm waiting," answeredNat.

"Did Uncle Laurie send you?" proceeded Demi, politely, butgravely.

"Mr. Laurence did."

"He is Uncle Laurie; and he always sends nice boys."

Nat looked gratified at the remark, and smiled, in a way that madehis thin face very pleasant. He did not know what to say next, sothe two stood staring at one another in friendly silence, till thelittle girl came up with her doll in her arms. She was very likeDemi, only not so tall, and had a rounder, rosier face, and blueeyes.

"This is my sister, Daisy," announced Demi, as if presenting a rareand precious creature.

The children nodded to one another; and the little girl's facedimpled with pleasure, as she said affably:

"I hope you'll stay. We have such good times here; don't we,Demi?"

"Of course, we do: that's what Aunt Jo has Plumfield for."

"It seems a very nice place indeed," observed Nat, feeling that hemust respond to these amiable young persons.

"It's the nicest place in the world, isn't it, Demi?" said Daisy, whoevidently regarded her brother as authority on all subjects.

"No, I think Greenland, where the icebergs and seals are, is moreinteresting. But I'm fond of Plumfield, and it is a very nice place tobe in," returned Demi, who was interested just now in a book onGreenland. He was about to offer to show Nat the pictures andexplain them, when the servant returned, saying with a nod towardthe parlor-door:

"All right; you are to stop."

"I'm glad; now come to Aunt Jo." And Daisy took him by the handwith a pretty protecting air, which made Nat feel at home at once.

Demi returned to his beloved book, while his sister led thenew-comer into a back room, where a stout gentleman wasfrolicking with two little boys on the sofa, and a thin lady was justfinishing the letter which she seemed to have been re-reading.

"Here he is, aunty!" cried Daisy.

"So this is my new boy? I am glad to see you, my dear, and hopeyou'll be happy here," said the lady, drawing him to her, andstroking back the hair from his forehead with a kind hand and amotherly look, which made Nat's lonely little heart yearn towardher.

She was not at all handsome, but she had a merry sort of face thatnever seemed to have forgotten certain childish ways and looks,any more than her voice and manner had; and these things, hard todescribe but very plain to see and feel, made her a genial,comfortable kind of person, easy to get on with, and generally"jolly," as boys would say. She saw the little tremble of Nat's lipsas she smoothed his hair, and her keen eyes grew softer, but sheonly drew the shabby figure nearer and said, laughing:

"I am Mother Bhaer, that gentleman is Father Bhaer, and these arethe two little Bhaers. Come here, boys, and see Nat."

The three wrestlers obeyed at once; and the stout man, with achubby child on each shoulder, came up to welcome the new boy.Rob and Teddy merely grinned at him, but Mr. Bhaer shook hands,and pointing to a low chair near the fire, said, in a cordial voice:

"There is a place all ready for thee, my son; sit down and dry thywet feet at once."

"Wet? So they are! My dear, off with your shoes this minute, andI'll have some dry things ready for you in a jiffy," cried Mrs. Bhaer,bustling about so energetically that Nat found himself in the cosylittle chair, with dry socks and warm slippers on his feet, before hewould have had time to say Jack Robinson, if he had wanted to try.He said "Thank you, ma'am," instead; and said it so gratefully thatMrs. Bhaer's eyes grew soft again, and she said something merry,because she felt so tender, which was a way she had.

"There are Tommy Bangs' slippers; but he never will remember toput them on in the house; so he shall not have them. They are toobig; but that's all the better; you can't run away from us so fast as ifthey fitted."

"I don't want to run away, ma'am." And Nat spread his grimy littlehands before the comfortable blaze, with a long sigh ofsatisfaction.

"That's good! Now I am going to toast you well, and try to get ridof that ugly cough. How long have you had it, dear?" asked Mrs.Bhaer, as she rummaged in her big basket for a strip of flannel.

"All winter. I got cold, and it wouldn't get better, somehow."

"No wonder, living in that damp cellar with hardly a rag to hispoor dear back!" said Mrs. Bhaer, in a low tone to her husband,who was looking at the boy with a skillful pair of eyes that markedthe thin temples and feverish lips, as well as the hoarse voice andfrequent fits of coughing that shook the bent shoulders under thepatched jacket.

"Robin, my man, trot up to Nursey, and tell her to give thee thecough-bottle and the liniment," said Mr. Bhaer, after his eyes hadexchanged telegrams with his wife's.

Nat looked a little anxious at the preparations, but forgot his fearsin a hearty laugh, when Mrs. Bhaer whispered to him, with a drolllook:

"Hear my rogue Teddy try to cough. The syrup I'm going to giveyou has honey in it; and he wants some."

Little Ted was red in the face with his exertions by the time thebottle came, and was allowed to suck the spoon after Nat hadmanfully taken a dose and had the bit of flannel put about histhroat.

These first steps toward a cure were hardly completed when agreat bell rang, and a loud tramping through the hall announcedsupper. Bashful Nat quaked at the thought of meeting manystrange boys, but Mrs. Bhaer held out her hand to him, and Robsaid, patronizingly, "Don't be 'fraid; I'll take care of you."

Twelve boys, six on a side, stood behind their chairs, prancingwith impatience to begin, while the tall flute-playing youth wastrying to curb their ardor. But no one sat down till Mrs. Bhaer wasin her place behind the teapot, with Teddy on her left, and Nat onher right.

"This is our new boy, Nat Blake. After supper you can say how doyou do? Gently, boys, gently."

As she spoke every one stared at Nat, and then whisked into theirseats, trying to be orderly and failing utterly. The Bhaers did theirbest to have the lads behave well at meal times, and generallysucceeded pretty well, for their rules were few and sensible, andthe boys, knowing that they tried to make things easy and happy,did their best to obey. But there are times when hungry boyscannot be repressed without real cruelty, and Saturday evening,after a half-holiday, was one of those times.

"Dear little souls, do let them have one day in which they can howland racket and frolic to their hearts' content. A holiday isn't aholiday without plenty of freedom and fun; and they shall have fullswing once a week," Mrs. Bhaer used to say, when prim peoplewondered why banister-sliding, pillow-fights, and all manner ofjovial games were allowed under the once decorous roof ofPlumfield.

It did seem at times as if the aforesaid roof was in danger of flyingoff, but it never did, for a word from Father Bhaer could at anytime produce a lull, and the lads had learned that liberty must notbe abused. So, in spite of many dark predictions, the schoolflourished, and manners and morals were insinuated, without thepupils exactly knowing how it was done.

Nat found himself very well off behind the tall pitchers, withTommy Bangs just around the corner, and Mrs. Bhaer close by tofill up plate and mug as fast as he could empty them.

"Who is that boy next the girl down at the other end?" whisperedNat to his young neighbor under cover of a general laugh.

"That's Demi Brooke. Mr. Bhaer is his uncle."

"What a queer name!"

"His real name is John, but they call him Demi-John, because hisfather is John too. That's a joke, don't you see?" said Tommy,kindly explaining. Nat did not see, but politely smiled, and asked,with interest :

"Isn't he a very nice boy?"

"I bet you he is; knows lots and reads like any thing."

"Who is the fat one next him?"

"Oh, that's Stuffy Cole. His name is George, but we call him Stuffy'cause he eats so much. The little fellow next Father Bhaer is hisboy Rob, and then there's big Franz his nephew; he teaches some,and kind of sees to us."

"He plays the flute, doesn't he?" asked Nat as Tommy renderedhimself speechless by putting a whole baked apple into his mouthat one blow.

Tommy nodded, and said, sooner than one would have imaginedpossible under the circumstances, "Oh, don't he, though? And wedance sometimes, and do gymnastics to music. I like a drummyself, and mean to learn as soon as ever I can."

"I like a fiddle best; I can play one too," said Nat, gettingconfidential on this attractive subject.

"Can you?" and Tommy stared over the rim of his mug with roundeyes, full of interest. "Mr. Bhaer's got an old fiddle, and he'll letyou play on it if you want to."

"Could I? Oh, I would like it ever so much. You see, I used to goround fiddling with my father, and another man, till he died."

"Wasn't that fun?" cried Tommy, much impressed.

"No, it was horrid; so cold in winter, and hot in summer. And I gottired; and they were cross sometimes; and I didn't get enough toeat." Nat paused to take a generous bite of gingerbread, as if toassure himself that the hard times were over; and then he addedregretfully: "But I did love my little fiddle, and I miss it. Nicolotook it away when father died, and wouldn't have me any longer,'cause I was sick."

"You'll belong to the band if you play good. See if you don't."

"Do you have a band here?" Nat's eyes sparkled.

"Guess we do; a jolly band, all boys; and they have concerts andthings. You just see what happens to-morrow night."

After this pleasantly exciting remark, Tommy returned to hissupper, and Nat sank into a blissful reverie over his full plate.

Mrs. Bhaer had heard all they said, while apparently absorbed infilling mugs, and overseeing little Ted, who was so sleepy that heput his spoon in his eye, nodded like a rosy poppy, and finally fellfast asleep, with his cheek pillowed on a soft bun. Mrs. Bhaer hadput Nat next to Tommy, because that roly-poly boy had a frank andsocial way with him, very attractive to shy persons. Nat felt this,and had made several small confidences during supper, whichgave Mrs. Bhaer the key to the new boy's character, better than ifshe had talked to him herself.

In the letter which Mr. Laurence had sent with Nat, he had said:

"DEAR JO: Here is a case after your own heart. This poor lad is anorphan now, sick and friendless. He has been a street-musician;and I found him in a cellar, mourning for his dead father, and hislost violin. I think there is something in him, and have a fancy thatbetween us we may give this little man a lift. You cure hisovertasked body, Fritz help his neglected mind, and when he isready I'll see if he is a genius or only a boy with a talent which mayearn his bread for him. Give him a trial, for the sake of your ownboy,

TEDDY."

"Of course we will!" cried Mrs. Bhaer, as she read the letter; andwhen she saw Nat she felt at once that, whether he was a genius ornot, here was a lonely, sick boy who needed just what she loved togive, a home and motherly care. Both she and Mr. Bhaer observedhim quietly; and in spite of ragged clothes, awkward manners, anda dirty face, they saw much about Nat that pleased them. He was athin, pale boy, of twelve, with blue eyes, and a good foreheadunder the rough, neglected hair; an anxious, scared face, at times,as if he expected hard words, or blows; and a sensitive mouth thattrembled when a kind glance fell on him; while a gentle speechcalled up a look of gratitude, very sweet to see. "Bless the poordear, he shall fiddle all day long if he likes," said Mrs. Bhaer toherself, as she saw the eager, happy expression on his face whenTommy talked of the band.

So, after supper, when the lads flocked into the schoolroom formore "high jinks," Mrs. Jo appeared with a violin in her hand, andafter a word with her husband, went to Nat, who sat in a cornerwatching the scene with intense interest.

"Now, my lad, give us a little tune. We want a violin in our band,and I think you will do it nicely."

She expected that he would hesitate; but he seized the old fiddle atonce, and handled it with such loving care, it was plain to see thatmusic was his passion.

"I'll do the best I can, ma'am," was all he said; and then drew thebow across the strings, as if eager to hear the dear notes again.

There was a great clatter in the room, but as if deaf to any soundsbut those he made, Nat played softly to himself, forgetting everything in his delight. It was only a simple Negro melody, such asstreet-musicians play, but it caught the ears of the boys at once,and silenced them, till they stood listening with surprise andpleasure. Gradually they got nearer and nearer, and Mr. Bhaercame up to watch the boy; for, as if he was in his element now,Nat played away and never minded any one, while his eyes shone,his cheeks reddened, and his thin fingers flew, as he hugged theold fiddle and made it speak to all their hearts the language that heloved.

A hearty round of applause rewarded him better than a shower ofpennies, when he stopped and glanced about him, as if to say:

"I've done my best; please like it."

"I say, you do that first rate," cried Tommy, who considered Nathis prot‚g‚.

"You shall be the first fiddle in my band," added Franz, with anapproving smile.

Mrs. Bhaer whispered to her husband:

"Teddy is right: there's something in the child." And Mr. Bhaernodded his head emphatically, as he clapped Nat on the shoulder,saying, heartily:

"You play well, my son. Come now and play something which wecan sing."

It was the proudest, happiest minute of the poor boy's life when hewas led to the place of honor by the piano, and the lads gatheredround, never heeding his poor clothes, but eying him respectfullyand waiting eagerly to hear him play again.

They chose a song he knew; and after one or two false starts theygot going, and violin, flute, and piano led a chorus of boyish voicesthat made the old roof ring again. It was too much for Nat, morefeeble than he knew; and as the final shout died away, his facebegan to work, he dropped the fiddle, and turning to the wallsobbed like a little child.

"My dear, what is it?" asked Mrs. Bhaer, who had been singingwith all her might, and trying to keep little Rob from beating timewith his boots.

"You are all so kind and it's so beautiful I can't help it," sobbedNat, coughing till he was breathless.

"Come with me, dear; you must go to bed and rest; you are wornout, and this is too noisy a place for you," whispered Mrs. Bhaer;and took him away to her own parlor, where she let him cryhimself quiet.

Then she won him to tell her all his troubles, and listened to thelittle story with tears in her own eyes, though it was not a new oneto her.

"My child, you have got a father and a mother now, and this ishome. Don't think of those sad times any more, but get well andhappy; and be sure you shall never suffer again, if we can help it.This place is made for all sorts of boys to have a good time in, andto learn how to help themselves and be useful men, I hope. Youshall have as much music as you want, only you must get strongfirst. Now come up to Nursey and have a bath, and then go to bed,and to-morrow we will lay some nice little plans together."

Nat held her hand fast in his, but had not a word to say, and let hisgrateful eyes speak for him, as Mrs. Bhaer led him up to a bigroom, where they found a stout German woman with a face soround and cheery that it looked like a sort of sun, with the widefrill of her cap for rays.

"This is Nursey Hummel, and she will give you a nice bath, andcut your hair, and make you all 'comfy,' as Rob says. That's thebath-room in there; and on Saturday nights we scrub all the littlelads first, and pack them away in bed before the big ones getthrough singing. Now then, Rob, in with you."

As she talked, Mrs. Bhaer had whipped off Rob's clothes andpopped him into a long bath-tub in the little room opening into thenursery.

There were two tubs, besides foot-baths, basins, douche-pipes, andall manner of contrivances for cleanliness. Nat was soonluxuriating in the other bath; and while simmering there, hewatched the performances of the two women, who scrubbed, cleannight-gowned, and bundled into bed four or five small boys, who,of course, cut up all sorts of capers during the operation, and keptevery one in a gale of merriment till they were extinguished intheir beds.

By the time Nat was washed and done up in a blanket by the fire,while Nursey cut his hair, a new detachment of boys arrived andwere shut into the bath-room, where they made as much splashingand noise as a school of young whales at play.

"Nat had better sleep here, so that if his cough troubles him in thenight you can see that he takes a good draught of flax-seed tea,"said Mrs. Bhaer, who was flying about like a distracted hen with alarge brood of lively ducklings.

Nursey approved the plan, finished Nat off with a flannelnight-gown, a drink of something warm and sweet, and thentucked him into one of the three little beds standing in the room,where he lay looking like a contented mummy and feeling thatnothing more in the way of luxury could be offered him.Cleanliness in itself was a new and delightful sensation; flannelgowns were unknown comforts in his world; sips of "good stuff"soothed his cough as pleasantly as kind words did his lonely heart;and the feeling that somebody cared for him made that plain roomseem a sort of heaven to the homeless child. It was like a cosydream; and he often shut his eyes to see if it would not vanishwhen he opened them again. It was too pleasant to let him sleep,and he could not have done so if he had tried, for in a few minutesone of the peculiar institutions of Plumfield was revealed to hisastonished but appreciative eyes.

A momentary lull in the aquatic exercises was followed by thesudden appearance of pillows flying in all directions, hurled bywhite goblins, who came rioting out of their beds. The battle ragedin several rooms, all down the upper hall, and even surged atintervals into the nursery, when some hard-pressed warrior tookrefuge there. No one seemed to mind this explosion in the least; noone forbade it, or even looked surprised. Nursey went on hangingup towels, and Mrs. Bhaer laid out clean clothes, as calmly as ifthe most perfect order reigned. Nay, she even chased one daringboy out of the room, and fired after him the pillow he had slylythrown at her.

"Won't they hurt 'em?" asked Nat, who lay laughing with all hismight.

"Oh dear, no! We always allow one pillow-fight Saturday night.The cases are changed to-morrow; and it gets up a glow after theboys' baths; so I rather like it myself," said Mrs. Bhaer, busy againamong her dozen pairs of socks.

"What a very nice school this is!" observed Nat, in a burst ofadmiration.

"It's an odd one," laughed Mrs. Bhaer, "but you see we don'tbelieve in making children miserable by too many rules, and toomuch study. I forbade night-gown parties at first; but, bless you, itwas of no use. I could no more keep those boys in their beds thanso many jacks in the box. So I made an agreement with them: Iwas to allow a fifteen-minute pillow-fight every Saturday night;and they promised to go properly to bed every other night. I triedit, and it worked well. If they don't keep their word, no frolic; ifthey do, I just turn the glasses round, put the lamps in safe places,and let them rampage as much as they like."

"It's a beautiful plan," said Nat, feeling that he should like to joinin the fray, but not venturing to propose it the first night. So he layenjoying the spectacle, which certainly was a lively one.

Tommy Bangs led the assailing party, and Demi defended his ownroom with a dogged courage fine to see, collecting pillows behindhim as fast as they were thrown, till the besiegers were out ofammunition, when they would charge upon him in a body, andrecover their arms. A few slight accidents occurred, but nobodyminded, and gave and took sounding thwacks with perfect goodhumor, while pillows flew like big snowflakes, till Mrs. Bhaerlooked at her watch, and called out:

"Time is up, boys. Into bed, every man jack, or pay the forfeit!"

"What is the forfeit?" asked Nat, sitting up in his eagerness toknow what happened to those wretches who disobeyed this mostpeculiar, but public-spirited school-ma'am.

"Lose their fun next time," answered Mrs. Bhaer. "I give them fiveminutes to settle down, then put out the lights, and expect order.They are honorable lads, and they keep their word."

That was evident, for the battle ended as abruptly as it began aparting shot or two, a final cheer, as Demi fired the seventh pillowat the retiring foe, a few challenges for next time, then orderprevailed. And nothing but an occasional giggle or a suppressedwhisper broke the quiet which followed the Saturday-night frolic,as Mother Bhaer kissed her new boy and left him to happy dreamsof life at Plumfield.